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City of Dewey

Posted: Oct 03, 2019 1:57 PMUpdated: Oct 03, 2019 1:59 PM

Dewey Fire, Other Agencies Finish EMR Training, Tests

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Garrett Giles

On Wednesday, the Dewey Fire Department and several emergency agencies across Washington County took the National Registry Practical Skills Test.

That test marked the end of the Emergency Medical Responder Class that Dewey Fire had hosted for two months. Dewey Fire Chief Chad Schueler said they could not have done the class if it weren't for Ron Sweeden, a longtime paramedic from Bartlesville.

Sweeden, despite being diagnosed with throat cancer and having a feed to in, he knew the training the agencies needed and he pushed through. Chief Schueler said Sweeden knew that no one else was going to come in and help, so he stepped up, regardless of his bad health. The Chief said they cannot thank Sweeden enough for his service.

The Emergency Medical Responders training allows emergency personnel to have the skills necessary to provide immediate lifesaving care to critical patients who access the emergency medical services system. EMRs have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide immediate lifesaving interventions while awaiting additional EMS resources to arrive.

EMRs also provide assistance to higher-level personnel at the scene of emergencies and during transport. Emergency Medical Responders are a vital part of the comprehensive EMS response. Under medical oversight, Emergency Medical Responders perform basic interventions with minimal equipment.

Chief Schueler said Dewey Fire requires its firefighters to take the Emergency Medical Responders training along with their Firefighter One training. He said they still have a couple guys that need to take their Firefighter One, but that the Dewey Fire Department is improving every day thank to guys like Ron Sweeden who pushed through his throat cancer to give them the training they needed.

For other guys, they can now take Firefighter Two courses and go through extrication, which Dewey Fire plans on going through next week.

Agencies represented in the EMR class are the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartlesville Police Department, the Wann Fire Dept., the Ochelata Fire Dept. and a healthcare professional, in addition to 7 Dewey firemen. Some of the guys that were involved in the class covered multiple roles by being both law enforcement officers and Dewey firemen.


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